Watashi no Suki na Hito
by TheChickenKatsu
Summary: .: In the passing of a century in the second world, we slowly loose our hold upon reality :. The retelling of the Inuyasha Tale continues onward.
1. A Poor Man's Prelude

**Atsuko**

_Please_

_Please_

_Forgive Me_

_But I won't be home again_

_Maybe one day you'll look up_

_And barely conscious you'll say to no one_

_Isn't something missing?_

_You won't cry for my absence _

_I know_

_You forgot me long ago_

_Am I that unimportant?_

_Am I so insignificant?_

_Isn't something missing?_

_Isn't someone missing me?_

_Even though I'm the sacrifice_

_You won't cry for me _

_Not now_

_Thought I'd die to know you loved me_

_I'm all alone_

_Isn't something missing?_

_Isn't someone missing me?_

To fall through death, could this be it? Body of stain and paper flesh, still within hold memories to murder sleep, I awake. My master, myself no longer grants me breath to withstand the grave of hatred soul, I stand. Salvation shall not forsake, I hear the heart beat no more, I live. Even in this hell I do not forlorn what once I loved, but the debts are many. Visions of own true blood shall not depart until another's baths my hands. Do not waste words confection, for I am gone.

By the light of Bloody Mary's moon, a lone spectre, anemic in her cadaverous form continued on. Where her Ira-laden foot steps have graced the earth again left nothing but stench of rotting flesh and shriek of ones fevered mind, unable to find that which must be re-paid. Homicide's undreamt inebriate adhered to Atsuko's every waking moment. Consumed, she drowns in hatred for the Lady Kikyo, whose demise can be solitary coin for unbound soul and reckless gain.

Onward, to the next, onto the rest, she can not escape, forever kept. Trickled gore from long pike blade marked her trail, steel brand dragged through grime of soil. Full of moon was upon this algid June's night, sable hair to dawn her head at loss of demonic features was torture she endured. Human, the asthenic and expendable playing things were disposed of easily, but to become one, if only for one nights' expanse was humiliation Atsuko would soon never abide.

He called her here, nothing more than shadows linger in halls of forest path; cling to beloved long past, awaited slow spinning redemption. Aika her song, chains of death held vacuous optics drawn, she watched the pass of years; essence left unchanged. With morning's sunlit kisses, does she feel? Can she stroke the winding wreathe, brush the earths plush emerald blanket? She willed her being to slave of fickle devilry for these of savored moment. In spirit now but aureole to lacquer his palm, in body a pawn of Naraku's toxic games.

Oh how sad the need to stride slow in devotions ghost, to bear hearts tender quiver at glance from certain eyes can no longer breach the seething surface. To hide behind a mask of ancient scorn, shall her masquerade hold steady against adorations fate? Or shall this boy's wondered vide pierce her willow mantle?

But come a plea, distain to cause another face enwrapped in cloth of rest, demonic rage foreclose her span. Sabbath Day, to await on Satan's crucifix, nails of torrid coal to bind your limbs, a darkest flame to rapture heart. May it be, Mistress of Haedes, bride of shadow own, but where shall you go? Atsuko, her thoughts run not but dry,

_If I Should Die _

_Before I Wake,_

_I Pray, The Lord _

_My Soul To Take_

* * *

**Inuyasha**

_This night _

_Walk the dead _

_In a solitary style and crash the cemetery gates _

_In that dress your husband hates _

_Way down _

_Mark the grave _

_Where the searchlights find us drinking by the mausoleum door _

_And they found you on the bath room floor _

_I miss you _

_I miss you so far _

_And the collision of your kiss _

_That made it so hard_

Traversing many a mile, the headstrong and bewildered demonic halfling challenged mother earth. Daring and cunning, he of whom many bow down to, soared and leapt a great distance. In a vain search for the source of such twisted and cruel tactics which had fallen upon the Eastern villages. The ever keen Lord had been in pursuit of this 'little problem' for many moons. Relentlessly transferring all of his vast strength and cunning into tracking his prey. Mass chaos had erupted, resulting in metallic crimson blood shred vastly over the once pure mountainsides. Wielding the ever might Tetsusaiga, the dog demon was known quite well over the extensive areas of land. If not him, then of his elder brother or father. Letting out a deep throated growl, the demon lord re-gripped his hold on his weapon, and narrowed his burnt amber optics.

A new moon, oh how he had dreaded them in the past, but now, on the verge of becoming a full fledged demon, the notorious halfing no longer struggled with the one night's transformations. Leaping through the darkened malevolent forest, the lord stopped momentarily. Translucent white tresses of hair swishing forwards ever so slightly as the Lord breathed in deeply. "Odd…" the seemingly familiar, alluring, husky voice purred. The past if not endless days, the only scent that filled the young demon's sensitive nose was that of death and destruction. Now, a different scent seemed to be sidling along with the others.

"Could it be…" the male lord mumbled, the cool night air kissing his bare wrists and feet. Shifting those stunning optics up to the heavens, the demon couldn't help but lose his stern attitude which he had developed so long ago, and let a long forgotten innocence reside in its place. "Atsuko…"

Standing in awe, the Lord managed to regain his composure, showing none other than sheer collectivity and calmness as he stood atop of the mighty oaks tree branch. The scent which his keen nose had picked up was indeed that of his friend though the metallic scent of blood enflamed his nostrils as well. Lifting his head up and averting those stunning optics ahead, he tilted his chin up to the wind, it's light feathery fingers ruffling his kimono and sleek silver hair in the process. Years of depression and strict rule had faltered the seemingly young (in demonic years) demon, depriving him of his once joyous and hot-headed attitude. Replacing them with a steel heart, and a mind set on justice and law. However, this barrier was extremely opposite of it's confined prisoner. After that wretched period of time back in the past, the half demon Inuyasha had found himself wandering aimlessly through his life for many moons distraught beyond belief at the losses he had suffered. Though, all too soon just at the verge of letting go, he had a premonition. His father, Lord of all demons had come forth in spirit and guided him. Now, many, many, many moons later here stood the 'admirable' Lord. Glancing downwards at the ground, the Lord merely shook his head. "I am not a Lord any longer. My past shall avail, as of now my future is in that of the faith's hands." And with that, Inuyasha tore off the royal emblem upon his swords sheath and glanced at his arm. Rolling up his Kimono sleeve, he clenched his fanged teeth together as his claws raked his light skin. The branding upon his arm claiming him 'supreme ruler' was now gone, lying in a muddled bloody patch upon the ground. "Now," Inuyasha said solemnly. That, he leapt from the tree, gracefully leaping throughout the trees carefree as he had in the days of the past. The 'real' Inuyasha had finally awoken and vowed to never stray from his path again.

* * *

Fleeting footsteps of a goddess's wind allude the blooded path, stirred spirits begotten of earth and petaled foliate waft at her heels. Wavelet of her bend sends throb and plash in sea of prairie burdened plain. Dusk demising breath as it was, the swept held blushing rose. But with your smitten caress leads to not but of lurid truth. Thorns abrupt penetrate of trustful flesh leaves your heart a tremor, wounds crimson left yours alone.

Geisha of blackened flame, known artistry of slaughter. Tongues of kindling her conversation, to stay her company, a single ardent match. Forlorn defrayal, you'd give till home lay on fecal streets but her farewell's dance arouse the blazon fire. Have clasped the brush, drivel acrylic rouge the canvas of Atsuko's world, inferno surmounts ascendant sun. Alit minaret against backdrops charred sky, this thorn of tranquil night rose, the village left but a torrid incinerate. Rupture shrieking, to say of beast put to anguished end, pray not, their devil's own cry.

Have not a hindmost glimpse, taken rest nestled inward field, pillow of grassland hearth, she purloin leisure. Burning lullaby, a tender brush of pain console a bristle sorrow, nigher days prowl but a slumbered way. Remnant quivered bliss all for not, deject prisoner of devoid cell, a yearned warm this twilight dark. Lonely air about her, ballads weep. Ought be her immure, but clash her thoughts: not but a scent, more pair a sentient tones, shades of emotion. One seemed dour incense, sullen mourn, carried from the near east. Sighing respire, Atsuko lifted to quavering gate. Draw as she nearer to sanctuary, afforest haven to lurk in mirthren shadows for await of eastern sun.

As quicken the caped swarth of branches chancel, pungent bullet of the second shade, impale Atsuko's vision to opaque mists. All to familiar this heart, percept of ones complicated crime, innocent lost at bind a executed end to duet elses days. They as even trace this desolate being once more, a blood hued cloth drappen his agile decent, but a moments depart upon forests canopy. "Sh!" Atsuko's breath, a toilsome surge, forth rapid as own pulse with each coming stride. Glance constrained to sunrises loom, knowing façade of human flesh within she can hide no longer. Breach her fixated trice, a snared devoice in sentiment thought. Begotten murmur of memory,

'When he comes to you, draw your weapon, he can do nothing but stand in your path' Systole, arsonet furor clench the iron shaft of Niruida-Tsurugi-No-Hinote.

Cursing under his breath, Inuyasha quickened his pace the smell of blood becoming more pungent with every step. By now, the ground was dampened with crimson, and the metallic smell of a blade managed to reach his sensitive nostrils. Skidding to a stop, he found himself in the middle of a path way. With blood still dribbling down his wounded arm, Inuyasha narrowed his amber eyes. He was positioned behind the shadowy figure, whom he hadn't discovered to be Atsuko. From afar, he could tell her scent, yet now only the smell of blood could get to him. "Hey!" Inuyasha called out standing with his knees slightly bent, good arm ready at the hilt of his tetsusaiga. "Are you the demonic being who has been killing all those people?" he demanded rather thingyily though it was his natural attitude. One that had long since been denied to him. "Hey, I'm talking to you" Inuyasha snarled drawing out his tetsusaiga and standing defensively with it clasped in both hands. Twitching his ears, Inuyasha picked up a fairly familiar scent. Nah...couldn't be.

As if have reached from miscarried dream, a companion voice once sought after, assail our implicit eve, "Hey, I'm talking to you!" So distant the years do pale since yearning helt her heart to him, since the unrequited. But take matter not, bereft Atsuko, the blade rapt in her palm trammel her soul. Tenderness given no longer stands, but death holds a perfect poison, blood a steadfast muse. He ablative every annex shadow, a vestige upon your ear, Naraku even now inhumed beneath her spirit. 'You must remember...it was not so long ago...he left you... abandoned you to the mercy of the streets...and all for this Kikyo. He does not forget his love for her...you died for him...and yet he forgets...but I smell his blood as it runs from his arm... he can not fight...' Relentless, emit his stern speach unto her memories, '...take him.' Wrath course pass Niruida-Tsurugi-No-Hinote, a pulse unmeasured hate. "I am no demon!" To compare to hells own furore her strike, would be amiss. Assulting spate, not unlike the Wind Scars strafe, claims the forests sleep and consumes all in its path. "Shi ne"

Bewildered, Inuyasha sighed while re-sheathing his tetsusaiga. That figure. Obviously female, so familiar. Atsuko? Stumbling backwards, Inuyasha questioned the figure aloud. "Atsuko? Don't tell me that's you! You, you were. . .gone" he finished quietly and shook his head. There was no denying the truth that figure was indeed a figure whom he knew quite well.

"Atsuko, what in the hell are you doing? Why do you reek of human blood, and mind telling me where you've been in the past years?" Inuyasha demanded angrily though not out of hate. Aside from the fact that his love for the priestess Kikyo was not yet dead, Atsuko was still a dear friend to him. Her disappearing hurt him in more ways than one.

"Answer me damn it!" Inuyasha snarled his grip tightening on his tetsusaiga though he was clueless as to why. He could never bring himself to lay a hand or blade on Atsuko.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha stole a glance over in the general direction upon which his name was called. Though his memory ailed him ever so slightly the figure seemed quite familiar. Golden hued optics narrowing, Inuyasha directed his attention back to the rather disheveled figure of Atsuko. "You haven't answered my question yet!" he demanded uneasily tense and rather traumatized.

From the village torrent, wildfires reach devourers the underwood, and with it the starlight consumed within the coma of smoke. This armored flame storm forest fortress, and allay all hidden shadow to the ignition, the forest flare.

_(So lays the battle field)_

At her side clasp the Niruida-Tsurugi-No-Hinote, the fire, rings of fire, surrond, blaze reflectent upon optics of a hazel ecstacy, Atsuko turned to face him. Upon pallid skin mirrored the flames as they drew near, yet not submit her requiem appearence.

Marionetten in movement, lifted the brand, guided to a posture of ready conflict

_(by the spiders web)_

fires tongue now licked at hem of the blackened yukata that garbed her. Swayed to the Tetsusaiga, the desitute gaze, "Your hands tremble...could you be afraid?' seeming whisper in the wind, but livid her eyes returned to his, "Human blood stains my flesh and my blade, the flame exausts each body and spreads until there is nothing but

_(the ebony rose)_

A waiver of afflicted breath had broken the stare. But as sentinel her eyes returned, a pain rested behind them, "Draw your sword" Assassin upon the fervid night, she has begun the attack

_(at the end)_

Burnt whiskey optics widening in disbelief, the young demon tilted his head to one side, a slim silvered brow raised high.

"Afraid?" what an odd question. Was he? In the case of his beloved friend standing before him, yes, he was indeed afraid. Not for himself, but for her own safety. What cruel, vile, and twisted occurrence had deranged his former companion so?

"Yes,"

A simple solitary statement, it's words hanging heavily in the smoke smoldering air. That same smokey air twisting and twining through his silvery locks, invisible tendrils probing at his downy ears.

Hand previously splayed a top of Tetsusaiga's hilt, it slowly withdrew away, sword still in sheath, calloused hand empty.

"I will not bring a blade down upon a friend," he stated calmly, vague wisps of her scent fluttering through the air, teasing his already aroused senses.

"Atsuko-"

Breathing deeply, he relished saying her name. Rolling off of his tongue he expertly twisted the words, morphing them into a melodic hymn.

"Stop this".

Upon her lips, a sunken smile takes place. "If you refuse to stand and fight, we both shall be consumed..." Her words like the trickle of the rain in a midnight's storm, she seemed to relish the moment. A hell bound fire, its tremble a beacon of a hatred now set once again alight, crept upon downy feet to embrace both souls in a fervid death. And yet Atsuko's face bore no witness to the blaze the now caressed her ebony hair, "But if you can defeat me..." Her arm a cruel reminder to the blades that was with it lifted to take a Harpies aim unto Inuyasha's tender throat, "...you may escape with your life." As though a serpent's fang was let unto his flesh, a drop of blood was let to dance upon the razors edge.

Eyes left dull, as if a fading grey, but still they pierce the mirror of the soul, she let to face his optics. Reflection leaves no mistake, a spider seems to coil within her eyes, the web of waning silver. And yet they seem to echo from a year left aside the dismal cascade of time: I love him

Woven in the ash entanglement, the spider takes a memories translucent hopes and cares to devore them in darkness. And in the thousand years that are said to pass within the blink of an eye, the touch of humanity that lies within her vanished. And left to view the world through clouds of venom, her hatred does regain composer.

The blade retracts. The optics of a Mother Earth seem to upon the lash of horizen, open. And the sun begins once again to breath a slow amber miasma upon the lands. In the rising sun she whispers, "Why didn't you take your chance to kill me?" The crease of a moments time, the flaming towers that surrond all sides seem to induce a haze of a lightning's blindness. The sacrifice of the full moon has left her soul, she is brought through a fire's bearing unto the morn, a hanyou to rise again.

Her fangs returned in a hindered sneer, the blood of the innocent life torn through her fire seemed to surface upon whisping scarlet crest of her hair. Her voice seemed not her own, "Let us see how you may face me without an arm" Her attack upon the speed of distant winds she left her blade to strike his abdomen. In turn the dismemberment of Inuyasha's flesh and blood left the shape of a geisha's fan upon the dawning earth.

/She's changed/

How could this happen. What devastation had occurred in her life which lead her into harming him? Of all people.

surrounded by the grounds rapid oxidation, the demon's eyes dulled, heart clenching painfully as she struck him, a prolific amount of crimson blood falling to the ground, beautiful splatters against the dusty ground.

/My Atsuko../

Tensed hand reaching down, he had, in one fluid motion, cleared a path way, the swirling vortexes of wind gusting at ethereal speeds.

/..What has the world done to you?/

Discarding any factors of consequence, Inuyasha advanced for wards, crushing the lithe demon in his arms, leaping away with inhuman elegance. Landing, he forced her protesting form down, one knee wedged firmly between her thighs, a powerful hand pinning her arms above her head.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself," he snarled, voice taking on that long forgotten cocky tone, an air of arrogance surrounding his radiant form. Fangs gleaming in the dawns hazy light, feral eyes fixated on her own weakened optics he growled low in his throat.

"You're down to eight love".

/If only I'd have known../

Celestial poet dips his brush upon the ink of winds, each stroke a wreathe stopped upon this moment to trace strands of the girl's ashen hair, she was forced to earth. A perfect pain when Atsuko's flesh greeted the soil; in collision with gravity her lungs constricted, left without a breath. A newly arisen shackle declared her arms useless in Inuyasha's constriting grip. Pale caressed the bronzed, as the flesh of their two wrists were left in contact for a instant's pleasure. Her outward futile fightings ceased, but a tremble of memory traveled down the nape of her neck. "You're down to eight, love"

_Another Head Hangs Lowly_

Her cry of anguish was the anwser. In the place were his hand still held grip of her flesh, a wisp of smoke respired and embarked into the air in its' shrouded dance. Where life does not see death through a mirror glass, but embraces it in its' hold, limbo does reside. Forged of weathered bones, a broken earth, and a living hatred, Atsuko's skin gave way to Inuyasha's touch, incinerating to the hues of a gaping wound, burning. Adreneline called by her anguish blessed her with strength to impel the boy hanyou to the ground.

_Child Is Slowly Taken_

Desperation now held her expression. The blindness that pain employs upon the heart; the callus of the burns entwined the point of Inuyasha's contact; she clawed for her blade.

_And The Violence Causes Silence_

**The insect left caught upon the spiders web shall struggle for a chance to fly free of the webs that capture it. But in the end the spider's poisen drip infects the body, and it is left to die slowly, ****decaying from the inside out.**

In a cataract, blood speeped from the edges of Atsuko's lips, charcoal of the departed flames drank in the droplet rubies.

**Poisen Drip Infects the Body**

A taste of seawater and of sweet, her own crismon fluid enlaced her tongue.

**Decaying from the Inside Out**

"Naraku" Wrought upon pensive grin, the words were quiet. Pulsated her heart so fleetingly, Atsuko shuttered in the breath of it all. Panic devoured her view, in quick she seized the base of her throat in searching. Mired upon her finger tips was brought out, from the depths of the silk that entrace her body, a simple chain, a necklace. She staggered to the balance of a standing pose, her hand drawn to the centered bonding spiral of the strand. In all its' decadence of a century's lust sat upon her palm, the Shikon Jewel.

_Who Are We Mistaken_

The ransom of the day. With this gift from her resurrector, she wished to face another birth of morning, if only one, to live. The fade of time sank into the jem of precious power, Atsuko closed her eyes, the Jewel enbraided within her grasp.

Shattered.

Midnight rain drops, fireworks of a devils delight. The shards, a meteor shower that shown in the light of day, interupted the skies. Falling. Drowning the lands in crystal night. Like glasswork porcelain, like ecstacy. But it left a gift.

A fragment, lost of its brothers, penetrated the hanyou's flesh. Impaling the layers of tender skin, it reached on thrust to her heart. The poisen ceased.

_What's In Your Head?_

One more daylight to fight for a worthy life, could that be a smile upon her lips?

But the light falls

Eyelids heavy take their hold

She takes her rest on blooded soil

-+-

_**Will I Still Exist When Morning Comes?**_


	2. June Of Tribulations Time

_Atsuko_

Pain. Goddess holds a bow of ancient stone, the arrow's virgin blade forged of fire. The shaft dispatched to earth in a bullet star, blesses the land in the solar gift of day. Leaves caught in golden flames sent from above. Sunlight?

The world was left in murking obscurity. Described by the man left only half in blindness, how he sees the world as though through a monochrome kaleidoscope; or an ocean angered on the shore, its floor a smudge of many pigments in the waves; Atsuko half exposed her eyes, the hue of frost, to a new black Sunday.

Silhouetted on the surface of the sky the leaves of the maple tree, in their dye of crimson wine, dithered in a docile wind. The sun's crusade through their mass let fall a phantom pattern onto the flesh and clothe that arrayed Atsuko. The maple's trunk produced roots that came and went about the soil in the fashion of the slender threads of a kimono, sewn by a doting hand.

Atsuko lay beneath the tree in the silence of a lulling void; her gaze dangled to her wrists. Embalmed in the dress of a crude bandage, lacerated from an irovy linen, their repose was released from the cauterizing of the morning last. She could see where the pearl wrappings did not reach, the blistered flesh, in steady introvertion, was being consumed in healthy tissues into the depths of her frame. Healing. Lone soldier of its kind, a leaf alighted down from its haven; coming to rest on Atsuko's upturned palm. But no burning?

A raging sea, upon her optics the fog was left disburst, the clarity upon her eyes. The shard of semblance that had taken its abode within her breast, had it left the paper flesh to the flames? From the chrysalis of the spider's barb, let freeborn to breathe, a real body? In the still, she smiled in her weary way.

As the newborn child, Atsuko ascended to her feet on a quavering step. Oh, but a moment to savor day. Scented, living, breathing world, the atmostphere of an infantile summer day of June inebriated her senses.

But even the confections come at a heavy price, Atsuko cast her eyes upon her sable kimono. Blood. The innocence lost. From the recess of her path of vision, a long pike slept in a bed of a human's fluid rouge. A scar of fallen grace.

The shame lapsed over her as, in her horror, she eluded to face the blood; she allowed the waters of the spring to take refuge in her every pore. The kimono disregarded, left in the clearings emerald bank; she could not speak. Scabs of dried blood coursed into the resevoir, a floating dust. A racing heart she held, yet her face was left a destitute home in sorrow. At Atsuko's calling, emerged her fingertips to the varished skin of the spring; gore seeping in the droplets.

_Inuyasha_

_'What the fuck just happened? __It didn't just break. Oh gods...whatever ones I have left, please don't tell me it just broke! __You're dreaming. Go ahead pinch yourself.' _

"I AM NOT DREAMING!" His eye shot open from their lazy day thoughts, shock they held within, Inuyasha glanced back at the bloody female who was currently bathing herself. Perhaps his eyes lingered too long on the creamy swell of her chest, or perhaps the smooth curve of her neck. None the less, the lord soon found his cheeks a heated red, glancing away stubbornly.

"Hurry up already we need to get going. You broke it, you're going to help me find the pieces," he growled, his voice taking on a rather cocky tone.'_You're taking her with you?' _Distressed, Inuyasha raked a hand through his hair. Not particularly fond of traveling with a companion, he sighed. She was in no condition to be left alone and unprotected.

- + -

"Oh, quit bitching..." An unfamiliar tone rebirthed from a time gone by, Atsuko's voiced pulled back on the mask of tenacious strengh. A sigh upon her lips, she left herself adrift on the currents tame nature. Slinking in the santuary of a reeded flora, she took the silken kimono in her clutch; when taken leave of the waters, took to enwrapping within it her still bedewed flesh. A taken glance at her wrists; she employed the sheathe of cloth, still scented with blood even though clean, to create a makeshift obi.

In swift, she maneuvered her head to relieve the strands of remaining water. "And what the hell do you want me hanging around for? You think your such a bad ass, go get the jewel yourself." Her mutterings as she stepped lightly to claim her blade, where it rested in the soil. In slow, Atsuko turned upon her heel, greeting him with an indignant glaze. But persuaded to where the long pike had left its stigma, her optics settled softly in relent. A halfhearted grimance, "Got you pretty good, huh?"

"Are you that stupid that I really need to repeat myself/You/ broke the damn jewel, so /you're/ going to have to help me fix it," Inuyasha retorted cockily, head held high with confidence. "We sure as hell can't have demons running all over the place with jewel shards now can we?" he queried, jumping back at her statement."And no you did /not/ get me pretty good," he howled, glancing down at his wound. Caked with dry blood, it glared at him, mocking him with it's vulnerability.

_You're not as powerful as you think_

Growling in an irritated fashion, Inuyasha tossed back his magnificent head, pinning the girl with his trademark smirk. "It's only a scratch anyways," he growled, instantly drawing his arms around his stomach, shielding the wound from her prying eyes.

"Are you finished /now/?" he drawled sarcastically, scuffing the ground lightly before sauntering to wards the forestry border. Trees of every shade of green known to man (and demon) casted their long shadows down upon the lord, bathing the ground in darkness. Hell, finding one shard in this particular forest was going to be hell. Let alone hundreds scattered throughout the land. '_Damn...'_

A profound grouping of rather explicit words ran through her mind as Inuyasha blabbered on. _'Think dumplings and sake...go to the happy place...calm...not crazy...caaalm'_ Atsuko though to herself, inhaling abrasively. She took to glance at her hand for but a moment. Oh, but how ravishing her heathen blade would look shoved right up his complaining ass...

Atsuko mentally slapped herself, "Damn, I really do need anger mangangement..." In the ripples of declining leaves from their mother tree, her grumble could not be heard but to herself. Straightening her back, she let the wisps of fluent hair be run through with her fingertips. As Inuyasha traversed to the mouth of the woodlands, she peeked to the side to catch a glimpse of the lesion he had tried to cover in his pride. _'Didn't get him, he says? Cocky son of a ' _The writer decided to leave the rest to the imagination.

Picking up upon her feet, left bare and callused, her gait showed her headstrong nature. Atsuko was at the level of Inuyasha's side, when the anger pulsed over her once again. _'Oh well, he deserved it...'_ She then sent him a virile right-hook to the face, and trotted down the forest path.

"Jackass xP"

* * *

"My god, how long does this thing go?!"

Gone was that pleasent day spent in rest, now two days had past in the travels of the hanyou duet. The fury of the mid-day sun was now growing into its own, leaving the fuedel lands imbrued in a sweltering heat. Droplets of sweat left leaking down her brow, Atsuko emitted those words in exhaustions grip.

Like a seabed left upon dry land, this forest diluted the soil for miles in each direction. Heavy ladded summer grasses encompassed the groud in a lovers quilt; the tree and the shrub reached in latitude to taste the confections of the sunlight. No wind to sing its quiescent lullaby this day, taking with it the hope for a moments leave of the blistering warmth.

"This is crazy..." Under the pressure of the soft knit temperate, Atsuko spoke not only to herself but to the boy hanyou a few paces behind. In the two days time, not once had the companions found a suggestion to the trace and clue of the shattred jewel shards, or where they may lay. Frustration was taking its tole.

Each bead of sweat exfoliating her flesh and pore, with the back of her hand Atsuko attempted to campaign it from her cheeks. "Damn it, we can't just keep going on like this..." A low growl in the stake of her throat. She forced her legs to move another step, "...there's gotta be an en..." Her words were severed in suddeness.

Through the mantle of a tree standing as a sentry to a break in the suspending vines, the forest was amputaed from the land in a abrupt stop; Atsuko brushed through the opening.

A sleeping giant, the lands of an ancient Kyoto incubated the soil under the warmth of a million of citizens, and fuedel castles that attained the expanse of sky.

"...woah"

- + -

Every private shop, each scent that drafted upon the human traffic, all the pennants of the food venders peddling into the streets for business. Intoxicant, short and simple. Though a good many of the eyes that saluted or bobbed upon the two hanyous were congested with suspicion, Atsuko drifted through the crowds with a true air of confidence.

As the duo journeyed to the edges of the waning masses, they came to the fringe of the slum domain and within the touch of the Red Light District. As though guided upon the strings of a heaven sent puppeteer, Atsuko lended her gaze unto an alley way. Drunk with trash and the scum of the streets, the foul place held in its air a familiar persuation. On the lead of memory, Atsuko took step up to a cardboard box of a volumous disposition; giving it a flick of the heel, it toppled over.

Beneath its ragged glory lay a young boy with a slight bit of a vertical challenge and hair of couplet hues; pale ash dipped in scarlet.

"T-Tatsuya?"

The boy child sprang at the sound of his name, "Who? What?! My box! The summer of love! Geogre W. Bush! Djibuti power! Livin' in a van down by the river! I have a dream! Truth Beauty Freedom and Above all things Love! The Hills are alive with the sound of music! Taters precious!" His voice rather spazztic.

"... are you done now? oo"

"Wait for it...waaaaait for it..." The boy of ten summers named Tatsuya snapped his fingers to the count down from three to zero. "...ok done " He then procceed to tacklesnog his older sister.

_Koichi_

"Demon!"  
Having spent only three days total in Nippon, Shoran Koichi didn't now too much about humans, villages, and life on earth in general. He didn't understand why fish were so easy to catch, why it wasn't ok to eat meat before cooking it, and why people laughed at him for wearing a ripped kimono. What he did understand, however, was that once _one_ human screeched that one word- five others would join in (even if they hadn't seen the beast) and soon twelve to twenty more before every flesh and blood creature within a mile was running around like an idiot, running away from him.  
Koichi merely blinked and turned on his heal, continuing his trek up the inclining stone pathway on his way to Fushimi Inari shrine. He had always wanted to visit Inari's main shrine, ever since his mother told him stories of the deity and the white kitsune's that served as his messengers. "This path goes on _forever_…" he murmured, looking back at the hundreds of vermillion torii already passed- and forward- at the hundreds still to come "Inari-sama must be really important, to have so many offerings around his shrine." It wasn't long before the lingering gap between each torii vanished, the long red wood now one after the other- creating an enclosed arena of red black and stone. There weren't just hundreds, but thousands there constructing the shrines entrance, creating something of an 'light at the end of the tunnel' effect as he reached the shrines center.  
There were a few people busily about the famous shrine, some children, possibly Geisha-to-be and some older men buying charms of young Miko. Crimson eyes scanned the hundreds of prayers that hung from strung wood and paper- things like 'protection' 'prosperity' and 'power'- hung by mortals seeking an answer from on high. 'There are so many, probably more than the torii outside.' Koichi thought, disheartened 'What made me think Inari would listen to my prayers anyway…' "Happy!"  
Koichi jumped, looking down and to his side- a small black haired girl smiling up at him happily. "What?" "Happy! I prayed for my friends to be happy, what did you pray for?" His head tilted, brow rising at the small human at his side "I don't think you're supposed to say it are you? Besides…I didn't pray for anything." The child smiled, white kimono scarcely covering her knees, hair laying in a short bob around her pale face "If you didn't pray, then you can tell me what you /were/ going to ask ne?"  
"Uh…"  
"Please?" she whined, looking up at the young Inugami with bambi brown eyes. "I was going to ask to see someone again." This made the little's head tilt and her eye brows raise, lip protruding out in a wordless 'who'. "Someone that left me a long time ago."  
"Are you made at this person?" Koichi smiled "Dame, I used to be but…I don't think she really wanted to leave me behi- hey!" he yelled, looking around at the people around him in confusion "…Where'd she go?" he blinked, looking down at the place that young girl once stood, shaking his head before looking up at one of the kitsune statues surrounding the center shrine. 'Inari…' he prayed silently, clenching his eyes shut 'I would really like to see Okaa-san again, kudasai, would you send her to me soon?' Slowly, long lashes rose, lifting the veil from crimson eyes as they looked about the sun kissed corridor- and down the center of a drawn Yumi.  
"Stay beast," warned the old Miko, pulling back on silver string "state thy inquiry for visiting this holy place."  
"I came to pray."  
"Pray have thy? Ha! Don't take me for a fool, what business do demons have with Gods?"  
"We have plenty to do with Gods!" he barked taking a step forward- a step that caused the bow to snap and arrow to release straight to Koichi's head. It never made contact, of course, he was a demon after all- and even young demons are not defenseless- especially when those demons are taught to kill without hesitation- just as Koichi did, dodging the arrow and sending a clawed hand thru the woman's heart, feeling warm liquid splatter onto his face and stain his hand- electing several shrikes from surrounding humans, who, after seeing the Miko slump to the ground in a blood pooling mess- either ran away in terror or froze on sight. "Y-you…vile-cre-ture…" "Yes, I am vile aren't I? but what are you going to do about it…" fingers wrapped around the arrow once fired, barring the metal head into the Miko's skull "you're dead."

- + -

"Let us take a walk, shall we? "

Upon his stride, awash in his peppy character, the boy child Tatsuya maneuvered his newfound company; having undoubtedly linked his arms with their own and dragged them along. The path followed was one that left the meat and marrow of Kyoto to the south, instead adopting the three into a belittled oasis; as the stoic stands, a shrine to a one Kami was situated upon its center.

Having taken his approach from the back of the ichidou, it was of consequence that Tatsuya did not see the tumult that had been set into motion by another young demon at the gates. Tatsuya plopped his bottem onto the steps, molded from jade and dappled granite; a maybe over-delighted smile begging Atsuko and Inuyasha to set themselves by his side. Atsuko, with a raised eyebrow, inclined casually; Inuyasha took pose at where he stood.

Her head left titled at an angle, Atsuko's optics strayed upon the sakura, withered in the summers anguish, until forced to look upon her siblings face. "I-...you-..." Her thoughts turned to words to quickly, stumbling over one another. She hung her head, then gazed to her brother, "Why the hell are you still alive?"

Tatsuya retreated in with a 'Oh no you did int, girlfriend!" expression on display.

"Wait-...god, that didn't come out right, I meant tha-"

He placed twin fingers upon her lips to cut of her talk, "Yes, yes, I know what you meant, my aneue dear; how could that boy of but two years in age have survived the fall of our mother, am I right?" A slow nod was the responce.

"You really want to know do ya? Do ya?? Well...to bad I'm going to tell you anyways " The male child cleared his throat harshly. "Well, you see _-shiftyeyes-_ from what I remember, a magical jackalope ran into my room, and tried to eat my only good pair of underwear. I was so angry that I threw it out a window, but one of his jackalopish horns hooked onto my wrist and it dragged me down throoouugh the air, and whooosh! Right into the river! And then I whacked him...and then he died . Then a clan of sea cows burst forth from the water and carried me along the stream to where it flows into this city's resevoir; where they sang my praises and told me I was the sexiest kitty boy in the whole wide world. But you know, all that crazy mooing sea cow song would attract some attention; so along comes this beautiful princess and she says 'It is the chosen one of the sea cows!' and lifts me up upon her shoulders and carries me to her castle where I can drink milk out of the carten whenever I want and not get smacked. FIN!" Inward he gulped a breath, so spread a impish grin upon his lips.

Atsuko glared, her optics tapered into a coupled set of incisions, dowsed in a black silence; the corners left atwitch.

"You got lost in a forest and got picked up by some...hobo, didn't you?" Atsuko sighed, a sweatdrop running down the incline of her face.

"oo...ehe ;; how did you know? Eheh...ehe...he oo;;" He took a nervous swig of the air about them. "Yeah...and then the hobo man got lazy and dropped me off at a brothel for young boys...oo awkward...but then I really -did- jump out a window, and I was rumaging threw some trash in search of food outside an inn; the owner lady came rushing out with a butcher knife of all things and tried to chase me away like some stray dog!" Tatsuya's eyes lingered to the rigid form of Inuyasha. "But when the old bag looked into my eyes, " He repeated the action that he told of, making a face quite similar to a certain Puss in Boots. "She pinched my cheeks and kept me in her house as a pet! Mmmm...kitty food..." A purr emitted from his throat, the focus of his eyes drifting of to the land of catnip that settled in his mind.

"oO;;...uhuh..."

"But the tale is not yet finished! Just two weeks ago, my beloved mistress..." Tatsuya's optics dawdled in tears, "...brought home some prissy fat Persian, and he was all like 'Get out of ma grill, foo!' and then in my terrible, horrible, -not that bad but I want to make this really melodramatic- pain, I ran away! " His lower lip left a quiver, he dabbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "So I claimed for myself a box, and decided to live my life as a noble street urchin! FIN! For reals this time -"

But in staccato, energy dwindeled the span of his optics. "But finally being with you, oh my fair sister," His body seemingly magnetized to Atsuko's own, he clung to her in a, if only a -bit-sufficating, embrace. "Has given me a new dream!" A fleeting build, Tatsuya in a playful bounce went to stand upon his feet.  
"I want to be..." He placed his hands upon the air, forming with his fingers a directors box; caught within the shot was the staring faces of Atsuko and Inuyasha.

"...a match maker"

_Kaori_

Staggering her way through the energetic streets of Kyoto was a young girl-no older than ten or eleven springs- muttering curt insults at the staring spectators. They had good reason to gawk like imbeciles I suppose, considering the girl was unmistakably a demon of sorts. Some of the idiots made it blatantly obvious they knew this bit of information, most pointing and whispering "Demon girl" under their breath. This soon got tiring.  
"My /name/ is Kaori, you fools, and if you wish to ridicule me take note that I am a /Hanyou/ - meaning I'm only slightly worse than you. Making it accurate is the /least/ you can do if you wanna create rumors about me..." she said with a smirk, feeling more than welcome to show off her fangs. Few humans actually backed off after Kaori's little spiel, making her even more irritable then before.  
"Damn people, damn heat...damn!" she complained, showing off her age.  
An old vendor chuckled behind his small stand. "You seem annoyed." he taunted. Kaori looked up at him, cerulean eyes uncharacteristically cold. "Thanks Einstein. You deserve an award..." The man waved his hands and laughed whimsically. "I didn't mean to sound rude, I was-"  
"Just stating the obvious, I know..." she interrupted, eyes fixed on the strange liquid the man was selling. Kaori squinted at the strange characters and the man laughed once again.  
"Can't you read?" He asked. She blinked and stared up at him, head cocked to the side. "Should I be able to?" The vendor held in yet another laugh and poured a cup of the cool liquid. "It's Mugicha...you know, tea. Would you like some, or do you want to stare at it some more?" he mocked, pushing the cup closer to her.  
Kaori eyed him suspiciously.  
_'Doesn't he know I could /eat/ him if I wanted to?'_  
She smiled. "So, I can take some?"  
"Of course you can."  
Kaori bowed, took the cup and started to walk off when the old man cleared his throat.  
"Aren't you going to pay for that?"  
_'I knew there was a catch...'_  
"Nope!" Kaori spun back around to face the man and beamed. "You clearly said that I could take it, so I am!" Just as the man was about to protest, she put a finger to his lips and mumbled, "Look, I'm thankful for your kindness, so I won't send me wolves on you later, 'kay?" Without waiting for a response, Kaori jumped onto the rooftops and sped away, giggling at the gaping humans below.When the markets and humans grew barely visible behind her, Kaori spotted a Shrine of some sort through the tree branches.  
"That seems promising..." she mumbled darkly, branch hopping closer to it. She gasped and stared at the two hanyou's, their ears almost mirroring hers. Kaori looked over at the young boy, close to the same age as her own and smiled, mischief on her mind.  
_'I do believe this is what brother wanted me to do...'_  
She dared to get only a few tree's closer to the trio before deciding her hiding spot. Kaori held on to a branch above her to keep balanced, then waited patiently, eyes and ears fixed on InuYasha, Atsuko and Tatsuya.

- + -

Ears twitching in an agitated manner as the young boy drawled on, Inuyasha released a rather obnoxious sigh. His tolerance level was at a short fuse, Tatsuya testing its limit with each work exiting his fast moving lips.

Growling, Inuyasha crossed his arms firmly across his chest, staring ignorantly at the sky. Red garments drifting slowly in the breeze, hair seemingly floating around his broad shoulders, and cherry blossoms swaying gently in the background, Inuyasha appeared almost at peace.

Almost.

With a toss of his head, the calm aura vanished. Replaced with a look of utter boredom. "Tatsuya will you shut up. You're giving me a headache with your pointless ramblings," Inuyasha sighed, ears perking up as the silent, yet distinct swish of branches echoed to his right.

Brow raising slightly with curiosity, he sniffed casually. It was just another demon. A demon that better keep to themselves if they knew what was best for them.

Growling, Inuyasha released yet another sigh, plopping down onto the cobbled stairs, hair swaying against his back as he sat cross legged, elbows resting on his knees. "Atsuko make him be quiet!" Inuyasha whined, glaring at the young boy. "Before I /make/ him," he warned testily, tapping the hilt of his tetsusaiga to emphasize the point.

Though his commanding tone quickly died as a look of sheer horror crossed his face. "..M..matchmaker?" Standing upright, he shuddered, tossing back his hair ignorantly. "Tatsuya. You should have stayed on the streets. Clearly, match making is /not/ your profession," he growled, images of Kikyo forming in his mind as he snarled, resisting the urge to pummel the small boy.

-----------

"He went that way!"  
"Dame! To the left!"  
"Iie, the right, look a trail of blood!"  
Crimson eyes leered at the mass of villagers that had appeared in the shrine circle, long lashes dropping and eyes shutting part way, tainted fingers gripping thin branches as he waited up top one sakura tree. It was a wonder the boy made it up without being detected, but then again, he was a full blooded Inugami. Even one such as himself should not be taken lightly. He took the opportunity to study the humans below, quickly deciding that they were childish, close-minded fools and a pledge to the earth. "Why did you kill her?" Koichi jumped at the voice, looking down bellow him to see the same black haired girl from before peering up at him, ember eyes ablaze "Why?"  
"She would have killed me if I hadn't." he whispered, leering at the child "Go away, you're going to get me caught." "You could have ran. The arrow missed- you could have run away." Persistent little… "So I killed her instead. Human's are weak, I can't see any good in them…they judge others too quickly without gaining all the facts." "You say that after meeting **one** mortal. It sounds like you're the one judging to quickly."  
Koichi bristled "Who do you-" but once again the child had vanished, a few dozen samurai taking her place. Angry samurai…bow wielding samurai…flaming arrow loaded into bow wielding angry samurai. Koichi let out a yelp as the arrows were fired in unison, trailing up the tree, leaping off the branch before the second wave hit, using the men's helmet clad heads as stepping stones as he jumped across and onto the floor- "Evil be **gone**!" right in front of the shrines Miko, right in time to get a sacred scroll in his face.

Silence.

Koichi blinked, watching the paper fall to the ground hearing the Miko cry again "Evil be gone!" another spell tag- and another, another…another "Was…that supposed to do something?" he asked, looking at the Miko with puzzled eyes. The young shrine mistress gawked, laughing nervously while the samurai themselves just stared. "Cut off its head!!" The remaining warriors let out a loud grunt of agreement before they charged, swords unsheathing as they went. "Evil be gone!!!!!" the Miko screamed, giving one last ditch effort and throwing the paper onto the young Inugami's head with such great force—that it feel to the floor and was carried off by the wind.  
Pushing past the priestess Koichi leapt forward, running past vermillion torii and to the other side of the shrine, his senses being assaulted with demonic aura. 'Hanyou?' the boy wondered, veering to the left as more arrows pierced the ground from the sky- there was no way they had caught up already- he was too fast for mortals too-

Gallop, gallop, gallop-

-"Umadoshi!" he rolled his eyes- they just _had_to have horses. "This is what you get for killing an innocent." Kochi's eyes narrowed, looking beside him "Will you _stop_ fallowing me, you're going to get yourself killed." "How will you handle yourself Koichi? Do they deserve to die for protecting their family?" He faltered "I…" "Things are not as black and white as they seem." He opened his mouth to speak, only to have the wind knocked out of him as he was hit form over head with the blunt end of a sword- his vision feel to the floor, looking up at the trio of samurai that surrounded them. Three? Only three? His eyes wondered over to the horsemen- seems as thought they found more demons to play with.  
Will you kill them?  
His eyes widened, heart thumbing in his chest as the metal blade was raised- teeth gritted- nails curled-  
All they need is guidance.  
- and fire burden, the white flames circling around the three men, engulfing them in an inferno and leaving them to ash.

-----------

The outreaching arms of the young Tatsuya melted to the consistancy of jello, wriggling to his sides at the sight of Inuyasha's hand upon the sword; wide eyes upturned at the corners, asking for forgiveness. Suddenly, his sensitive nose went on the skitter, twitching upon the discovery of a new scent. Tatsuya whirled his glance in the direction of Kaori, this body following after, "Well, heeello..." He mumbled with a grin. Just as he brought himself into step towards the fair lady, a comet shower forged of arrows injected their blades into the earth inches before him. "I'm comin' Elisebeth! XX;;" He clutched his heart and proceeded to faint.

As if born from the sky, Atsuko caught the second cataract of wooden shafts upon her eye as they gravitated to the earth. Impulse commisioned her legs to stand in quick; she sent her body into collision with Inuyasha's own; the arrows took they barings where he had just stood. But as her feet stumbled to regain their hold upon the soil, men atop their steeds surronded the pair. A emerging ember's spark caught the corner of Atsuko's optics, another demon. Fangs issued from the pillows of her lips in a smirk.

Her body a bullet of its' own making, Atsuko fractured the earth around her as in a surge and force, impelled to the atmostphere. Left drunken and blind in the dust that consumed their vision, the riders tousled and craned their necks to find her; mumbles of _'Where the hell?'_ and _'Vanished?'_ surfacing on their lips.

The threads of silken hair suddenly stood in salute upon the neck of one man, called to the vestige he felt appear behind him; he turned. Birthed from a womb of clouded dirt, he stared into a smiling face; the sapphiren eyes devised of innocence and cruelty. "Hello, little man"

Like the surmount of an insect in a angered, closed palm, the sound of the rupturing bone of the man's neck was quick and plush; a swift kick to the side of the head. The body left in the lasting effect of dying nerve spasms, it slumped to ground in its' twitches; the skull twisted to the opposite direction then the norm. In the mans fall, Atsuko took the second to glance at the boy who had sent a trio of samuri to a flame of hell, a smile to give to him; she returned to gaze to the horsemen. "So..." Her fingers constricting to the pulse of retractible claws farrowing from within her flesh.

Eyesight collided with the boy and Kaori groaned, reaching behind her and unsheathing the blade.  
_'A fine nose the pup has…Didn't think he'd be so quick.'_  
"Well Heeello" the boy mumbled, a slight grin on his face. Acting detached from the scene she looked up casually at the arrows heading for young Tatsuya. Kaori peeked over at him slyly and mumbled, "I'd move if I were you…Eh?" As the boy fainted without warning she could no longer act nonchalant. She jumped gracefully onto the ground and knelt down by Tatsuya.  
"Elisibeth?" Kaori shrugged and muttered 'Weirdo' under her breath as she looked for any sign of an injury. Brows furrowed and she rolled her eyes.  
"Stupid, you didn't even get hit!"  
The distinct scent of fresh human corpses made her look the direction of Atsuko and InuYasha. Disgusted, Kaori growled and stood up. Kaori crouched behind a bush and watched as the scene take place. She didn't dare get any closer to the fight then she already was for fear of getting hit or trampled on by the umadoshi. Instead she stared with gaping jaw at the advanced skill of Atsuko.  
_'This is exactly what brother wanted me to find…'_ she thought in awe.

_'Whoa…that was a whole lot of Atsuko upon me just now...' _Tossing his head to and fro, Inuyasha growled, hauling himself up into a standing position gracefully, knuckles cracking as his claws gleamed menacingly in the morning's bright rays. "I could'a backed away in time Atsuko," Inuyasha jeered, emphasizing her name as he blinked, gaze falling upon Tatsuya's fallen form.

_'Pf…that boy is nothing but trou-'_

"Hey!" Angered, Inuyasha cursed, an arrow whizzing past his cheek, brushing through his silken locks like an invisible hand, a small trickle of blood trailing down his cheek. "Oi I got 'im!" Veins pulsing with desire, Inuyasha bared his teeth, grinding them as he leapt up into the air soundlessly, gliding with practiced ease towards the male. Landing crouched a top of the horses rear, Inuyasha grinned, cracking his knuckles once more. "I think it's me who has got you". Slashing forwards with precise accuracy, Inuyasha snarled, his claws colliding with the mans face, tearing it in two, relishing as the feeling of the thick, warm, coppery blood flowed over his hands.

Slightly dazed by instinct, it was not five minutes later that Inuyasha had successfully clawed through a vast majority of the humans. Blood splattered and stained upon his heaving body, a wild glare was caught in his eyes, a deep red rimming his amber optics, threatening to take over. _'Oh god. what have I done?'_

Eyes falling upon Kaori, advancing towards her, it was taking all of his inner strength to not lash out at her. Gods how he wanted her blood strewn about, bathing the air with it's heady scent..

_'Get a hold of yourself! Stop it. Right now. Gods…if that girl has any sense, she'll run right away'_

The cry that rings out before the bullet shot is left unbound; is it ever heard? Drawn breath was left to evanesce, taken into hold inside the tissue of Atsuko's throat. This breath ment to take her cry to his visibilities

_'Inuyasha'_

But bullet abandoned its shaft before her spoken word could reach out to touch the air; he came forward, swift in step towards the small girl. Feral crimson threatened to breach the essance of his eyes. Atsuko knew these eyes, of better yet, in relation to her own; the demon left untoned. She stood her ground to defend the child; yet he came. "Damn it..." Her veiled rasp, "Inuyasha..." The talons once again were brought forth from beneath her flesh, Atsuko embedded them into the hanyou's colliding robe and skin; taking their place between the flesh of the collar and the shoulder bone. She could feel the quiver of his muscle tissue as it tensed in pain; letting blood take a exempting ride into the groves of her fingers. Yet in his madness, Inuyasha pushed forward; Atsuko gasped in the gravity of the strength to hold him back; she trembled as she felt her fingers take a slippery step into the caverns of Inuyasha's opened flesh. Her face contracted in the crusade, she was so close to him that she could touch the rippled waves of sound and channel that molded the snarl that resided within his throat.

The flood of time, clasped into the palm of a steady slow motion; a new birth of arrows began to rain upon the pack from an unseen bearer; a back up crew. A hell guided missile fell upon it's mark and dared to rake a clod of skin from Atsuko's upper arm; she kept her optics driven into the barren scarlet of his.  
_come back_  
Her lips seemed to form.

The minions of the ruby demon that in their challenge had taken hold of Inuyasha's eyes and soul seem to retreat. Evacuation was their platform, as they were doused in amber's cascade.

_Yet layed there something in that glance_

In the blistered heat that came as time took its turn to normal pace; Atsuko stole her glaze from him, along with her touch. "Move! Just fucking move!" Her call shattering the simple silence, before the second coming barracade of arrows. She motioned for the young girl to follow suit and come; along with the phantom demon boy. The earth, it trembled as a coming hord baring horse and blade approached. Through sinners streets they all ran, breathless in their blood ragged cloth. That poor collection of tattered souls ran even when they came to reach the haven of a forest dear.

But why did she continue in her need to escape? But what was truely in her plea to elude? Atsuko closed her optics in the thought of it.

There lay something in that glance.


End file.
